Tiger Woods dropped for Ryder Cup foursomes by captain Davis Love III

Tiger Woods will sit out of the morning session of day two of the Ryder Cup after being dropped from the USA team for the first time, having been outplayed by European rookie Nicolas Colsaerts on day one.

Tiger Woods has been left out of the morning session of day two of the Ryder Cup (Picture: Getty Images)

While Phil Mickleson celebrated becoming America’s most capped player with two wins on the opening day of the 2012 Ryder Cup, it was no so memorable for Woods, who admitted his performance in the fourballs alongside Steve Stricker, against Colsaerts and Lee Westwood, had been ‘awful’.

Team USA take a 5-3 lead into today’s sessions after winning the fourballs 3-1 following a 2-2 after the morning session but Love said his decision to rest the 14-times major winner had more to do with fitness than form.

Tiger Woods misses his putt on the 18th as Lee Westwood and Nicolas Colsaerts watch on (Picture: Getty Images)

‘We just felt like we didn’t want anybody to have to play five matches on this golf course, it’s a big, long golf course – it’s tough,’ said Love.

‘We just don’t want guys to be worn out, we need Tiger and Steve (Stricker) in the afternoon and Tiger and Steve on Sunday.

‘The first thing they asked me when we got done playing or practising is, “When can we go home?”

‘I think Tiger needs a rest, Steve needs a rest, I need a rest, and it’s a team effort.’

Woods succumbed to two opening-day defeats for the fourth time in seven Ryder Cup appearances and was shocked by the inspired putting of rookie Colsaerts.